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PROS

CONS

Repetitive gameplay; new features added in slowly - stages start to feel 'same-ish' after only a little while.

Odd sound bugs make Cap unintelligible or sound warped.

VERDICT

While not as tight as Mirror's Edge for iOS devices, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty is still a fun side-scrolling free-running title that pairs up action and platforming with an intuitive control system that's perfect for touch devices.

Full Review

App Store Info

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of the recent Marvel films in the lead up to the eventual cinematic version of the Avengers. While the inevitable game conversions of said movies have been less than stellar, the iOS titles have been more than playable, showing some passion for the franchise it represents. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty by Marvel Entertainment and Sarbakan mixes things up from the expected 3D beat'em-up by giving 'Cap' a free-running experience governed almost entirely by gesture-based inputs.

When talking about video games and free-running, one of the first games that pops in to mind is Mirror's Edge. Sentinel of Liberty bears a striking resemblance to EA's iOS conversion of Mirror's Edge, with Captain America running back and forth along a 2.5D world, springing up walls, flinging himself across gaps thanks to handy poles and running across long gaps thanks to the physics-defying wall-run. Intuitive gestures make it easy to get Cap moving in the right direction, with upward swipes causing him to jump, downward swipes causing him to slide and swiping towards an enemy to dish out a serving of fists and a boot or two. Combination attacks slowly unlock over the course of the game, slowing down the game after you initiate the maneuver via one of several entry points (either sliding, stunning and so on).

Once you're comfortable with the idea of swiping to get actions done, the game becomes much easier to enjoy, with enemies falling to the wayside as you scour the level for secret documents to unlock new skins and comic covers. Environmental hazards such as traps and trip-wires do add some challenge to what is an otherwise casual experience, but if you follow some simple rules (such as 'always take the upper path' and 'ignore enemies where you can') you'll finish the game with little effort at all. While it can be worth attempting to find hidden documents, exploring every nook and cranny can become a chore and trying to mix things up by beating up enemies also becomes tiresome thanks to the simplicity with which they're dispatched.

One really odd problem that kept cropping up as well was the way in which the game sounds would stretch out in sync with the current game speed, producing some rather unexpected and disturbing changes in the voice of Captain America. It only served to highlight some of the performance issues as some sections of the game would briefly stutter and then be followed up by a deep-throated Cap, only for the next line to be higher in pitch as the game speeds up.

It can be easy to be harsh on a game because it's deserving of ire, but in the case of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty the disappointment comes from a decent concept being executed in a sub-par manner. If you enjoyed Mirror's Edge for iOS or you're a fan of the comics, there's more than enough to chew on here, but if repetitive action and the lack of scaling difficulty gets you down, it's best to leave this title alone.

Description

PLAY AS THE FIRST AVENGER, CAPTAIN AMERICA, AND STOP THE RED SKULL FROM TIPPING THE BALANCE OF POWER!

Sentinel of Liberty features stunning HD graphics optimized for Retina Displays! Play as the Super Soldier Captain America in this epic action game. As WWII rages, Red Skull is leading HYDRA as they build super weapons that will turn the tide of the war. To make matters worse, Falsworth, Dum Dum Dugan and Bucky have been captured. Go behind enemy lines to rescue them and put an end to the sinister plot. Use your unbreakable shield to battle, block, and maneuver your way on what seems like a suicide mission.

SUPER SOLDIER ACTION
Unleash epic combat moves as you take down HYDRA soldiers! Shield slide to traverse difficult terrain, perform takedowns in mid-air or on the ground, and launch your shield for long-range attacks.

STORM AND STEALTH
Take down machine gun wielding enemies and maneuver around land mines on battlefields of WWII. Make your way through the secret HYDRA hideout and take down the evil Red Skull.

MASSIVE DEPTH
24 levels, each with multiple pathways and hidden areas, unfold over three massive episodes. Impressive unlockables, high score leaderboards, and tons of extra features add to the massive gameplay experience

ORIGINAL STORY AND SOUNDTRACK
The action of Captain America comes to life with an original story and script written by Marvel writer Christos Gage. Comic panels by Marvel artists Ron Lim and Christopher Sotomayor and a compelling original soundtrack complete the Captain America experience.